Matter Paneer Made Simple

Nidhi Chanani, a lifelong vegetarian, streamlined her mother’s matter paneer recipe to make a meal her friends love. “My mother’s version takes twice as long and uses lots of heavy cream and ghee [clarified butter],” she says. Paneer is a mild, fresh cheese used in Indian stews. To make this recipe vegan, Nidhi omits the sour cream, uses cubed tofu instead of paneer and cooks the stew 10 to 15 minutes more. 2nd Place, 2006 recipe contest.